Pediatrics

Experience from clinical trials and daily clinical practice indicate that loteprednol etabonate 0.2% (Alrex, Bausch & Lomb) is a valuable therapeutic option for both short- and longer-term management of allergic conjunctivitis, according to ophthalmologists who have studied and used this novel anti-inflammatory corticosteroid agent.

Dorado, Puerto Rico?Patients with allergies should be identified and treated before undergoing ophthalmic surgery in order to improve healing for optimal visual outcomes, explained Francis S. Mah, MD, who spoke during the Current Concepts in Ophthalmology meeting in Dorado, Puerto Rico.

Chicago—Screening to detect preclinical vision loss in children is important and should ideally be done in the offices of pediatricians or family practitioners. In addition, it is now time to add objective testing to pediatric practices, according to Robert W. Arnold, MD, who spoke at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

In case you have been so busy with your practice and other obligations that you missed it, two medical miracles (my opinion) have recently been reported. Each is only partially relevant to the practice of ophthalmology, but it seems to me that these are worth awareness.

Portland, OR—The novel formulation of timolol maleate 0.5% ophthalmic solution containing potassium sorbate (Istalol, ISTA Pharmaceuticals) is a good option to consider for adjunctive therapy in patients whose IOP is not adequately controlled by a prostaglandin analogue alone, said John R. Samples, MD.

Chicago—Clinicians should use a systematic approach when confronted with the complaint of double vision. Knowing the possible symptoms and signs associated with diplopia can help with the diagnosis, explained Kimberly Cockerham, MD, FACS, at the neuro-ophthalmology subspecialty day meeting during the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Chicago-"When is a lid laceration not just a lid laceration?" When it is occult penetrating orbito-cranial trauma, explained Roger E. Turbin, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology and associate director of neuro-ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School.

Toulouse, France—With lengthening follow-up, the posterior chamber implantable collamer lens (ICL) (STAAR Surgical) continues to be associated with encouraging results in the management of refractive amblyopia in children who have not had a response to conventional therapy with contact lenses or spectacles, said Laurence C. Lesueur, MD.

Phoenix—Children with traumatic cataract often achieve a good visual outcome after cataract removal and primary IOL implantation, said Richard L. Golub, MD.

Houston—Filtering bleb encapsulation after trabeculectomy seems to respond well to tapering topical corticosteroids alone or in conjunction with IOP-lowering agents. Withdrawing steroids appeared beneficial for lowering the IOP compared with continuing the use of steroids to prevent inflammation, according to Sheila Bazzaz, MD.

With cataract and refractive procedures, ocular comfort and inflammation management are highly relevant to the patient's impression of a successful procedure. Add to that an expectation that an increase in visual acuity will follow closely on the heels of surgery, and the standards are set very high.

Intracameral triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog, Bristol?Myers Squibb) used judiciously offers simple and safe anti-inflammatory treatment in cataract surgery patients, said James P. Gills, MD, at "Spotlight on Cataract Surgery in 2005" during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

A number of pathologies can be confused with giant cell arteritis, Anthony Arnold, MD, explained Monday at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting. Patients with a painful ophthalmoplegia might have an isolated cranial neuropathy, a skull-based or cavernous sinus process such as a tumor, or an inflammatory or infiltrative process, an orbital process, a brainstem process, or a vasculitic process.

Mass vision screening for amblyopia in school-age children should be standardized, and Pamela Hutt Berg, CO, COMT, recommended how that might be accomplished Sunday at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

The patterns of childhood blindness and visual impairment are changing over time, according to Clare Gilbert, MD, MSc. Dr. Gilbert described the shifts in pediatric blindness patterns resulting from the ?nurture? factors Sunday at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Physical evidence is a linchpin the patient may use to attach tangibility to a service's intangible nature.

In the field of glaucoma therapy, a study onthe measurement of central corneal thickness suggested that clinicians may be overestimating IOP in children with thick corneas.

Orlando—Refractive surgery may be an option for treating children with high myopia and neurobehavioral disorders who are unable to use either of the two principal methods of correcting myopia, spectacles or contact lenses.

Orlando—Photoscreening in younger elementary school children was more sensitive than patched surround HOTV acuity, according to a study conducted in a school setting among nearly 1,700 children.

Refractec Inc. announces the promotion of Thomas G. Frinzi to the newly created position of chief operating officer to oversee the company?s growing global operations. Frinzi, formerly senior vice president of sales and marketing, will add clinical, regulatory affairs, and quality assurance to his sales and marketing responsibilities. He continues to report directly to President and CEO Mitchell B. Campbell.

The risk of scarring was increased 3.6-fold among patients who wore contact lenses at baseline relative to those who did not wear contact lenses.

The conjunctival allergen challenge model is highly reproducible and has a highly standardized grading system.

Washington, DC-Dry eye disease affects millions of people worldwide and with that has come a recent greater awareness among patients that it is indeed a problem. As the recognition of the magnitude of dry eye is changing, so too has knowledge of its pathogenesis, the technology facilitating diagnosis, and the drugs that are becoming available to treat it. General ophthalmologists will be increasingly challenged to learn more about the disease and the best ways to treat individual patients, according to Michael Lemp, MD.

It was important to educate the nurses, respiratory therapists, and families that more oxygen was not necessarily better.

Orlando—The high-frequency ultrasound biomicroscope (UBM) can reliably estimate the distance of horizontal muscle insertion from the limbus in eyes that had previous strabismus surgery on the same muscle, according to Shuan H. Dai, MB, BS, FRANZCO, a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Dallas—Essilor will acquire Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.'s Spectacle Lens Group, including the group's Definity brand of progressive lenses.

Dallas—Essilor will acquire Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.'s Spectacle Lens Group, including the group's Definity brand of progressive lenses.

Patients treated with cyclosporine had greater symptomatic improvement compared with controls using preservative-free artificial tears.

Burlington, VT—Early appropriate intervention can make a substantial difference in preventing permanent visual loss or diplopia when faced with a patient who has an orbital compartment syndrome or a white-eyed blowout fracture.

Burlington, VT—Early appropriate intervention can make a substantial difference in preventing permanent visual loss or diplopia when faced with a patient who has an orbital compartment syndrome or a white-eyed blowout fracture.